Judges 14 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Samson's Marriage

Jdg 14:1Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines.

Jdg 14:2Then he came up, and told his father and mother, "I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife."

Jdg 14:3

Jdg 14:3But his father and mother said to him, "Is there not a woman among the daughters of your kinsmen, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me; for she pleases me well."

Jdg 14:4

Jdg 14:4His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD; for he was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Jdg 14:5

Jdg 14:5Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and he came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion roared against him;

Jdg 14:6

Jdg 14:6and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion asunder as one tears a kid; and he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

Jdg 14:7

Jdg 14:7Then he went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

Jdg 14:8

Jdg 14:8And after a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.

Jdg 14:9

Jdg 14:9He scraped it out into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave some to them, and they ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the carcass of the lion.

Jdg 14:10

Jdg 14:10And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there; for so the young men used to do.

Jdg 14:11

Jdg 14:11And when the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

Samson's Riddle

Jdg 14:12

Jdg 14:12And Samson said to them, "Let me now put a riddle to you; if you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments;

Jdg 14:13

Jdg 14:13but if you cannot tell me what it is, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments." And they said to him, "Put your riddle, that we may hear it."

Jdg 14:14

Jdg 14:14And he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." And they could not in three days tell what the riddle was.

Jdg 14:15

Jdg 14:15On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to tell us what the riddle is, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?"

Jdg 14:16

Jdg 14:16And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, "You only hate me, you do not love me; you have put a riddle to my countrymen, and you have not told me what it is." And he said to her, "Behold, I have not told my father nor my mother, and shall I tell you?"

Jdg 14:17

Jdg 14:17She wept before him the seven days that their feast lasted; and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him hard. Then she told the riddle to her countrymen.

Jdg 14:18

Jdg 14:18And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle."

Jdg 14:19

Jdg 14:19And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ash'kelon and killed thirty men of the town, and took their spoil and gave the festal garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house.

Jdg 14:20

Jdg 14:20And Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

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Source: Transcribed from: The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version containing the Old and New Testaments, translated from the original tongues: being the version set forth A.D. 1611, revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901: compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946-52. — 2nd ed. of New Testament A.D. 1971. There should be enough in the rest of the description to identify the text.

Language: English

Availability: Freely available for non-commercial use provided that this header is included in its entirety with any copy distributed.

Judges 14 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Samson's Marriage

Samson's Riddle

Pericope